A Hot Curry For A Summer's Day

WORDS:: Chyka Keebaugh

PHOTOS:: Lisa Atkinson

Just because the weather is warm doesn’t mean eating a hot curry is out of the question.

I traveled to Sri Lanka last year, and I totally fell in love. With the people, the country, the fantastic sights and sounds and of course the food! It should be of no news to anyone that when I travel my days revolve around shopping and food (whose holiday doesn’t??) so being able to go to a new country and discover new tastes was such a treat for me.

Now, I love a good curry. I am all for trying new spices and flavor combinations as curries differ depending on where they are from. I have eaten some curries on my travels that have blown my socks off as well as more subtle, coconut based curries that send your taste buds into overdrive as I sit there trying to guess the flavors.

This Sri Lankan curry that I am sharing with you is a gorgeous meal, served with fluffy rice and some bread; it’s the perfect dinner for a night you need some comfort. It’s like a warm hug, and it tastes even better!

Sri Lankan Beef Curry

Ingredients

1 large onion, roughly chopped

2cm piece ginger, roughly chopped

4 cloves garlic, roughly chopped

1 long red chilli, roughly chopped

1 red bird's-eye chilli, roughly chopped

2 tablespoons ghee (see note)

1 teaspoon ground turmeric

4 cardamom pods, cracked

2 teaspoons black mustard seeds

10 curry leaves (see note)

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1kg beef oyster blade, cut into 2.5cm pieces

3 large vine-ripened tomatoes, roughly chopped

Coriander sprigs, to serve

Steamed basmati rice, to serve

Roti, to serve

Method

To make curry powder, heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add spices and stir for 1 minute or until fragrant. Transfer to a mortar and pestle or spice grinder and grind to a fine powder.

Process onion, ginger, garlic and chillies in a food processor until finely chopped.

Heat ghee in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion mixture and cook, stirring frequently, for 12 minutes or until golden. Add curry powder, turmeric, cardamom, mustard seeds and curry leaves. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, then stir in vinegar. Add beef and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes or until well coated in spice paste. Add tomatoes, 250ml (1 cup) water and 1 teaspoon salt. Increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, then cook for 2 hours or until beef is very tender.

Remove lid, increase heat to medium, then simmer for a further 20 minutes or until sauce is thickened.

Divide curry among bowls and scatter with coriander. Serve with steamed rice and roti.